In fact, Zhang Cheng's aircraft carrier design was not his original intention, and Zhang Cheng's original choice of design blueprint was the famous Essex class. It's just that Zhang Cheng can come up with a design, but some of the corresponding technologies are not mature at this time. If you use it reluctantly, it is not only inefficient, but also increases the cost.

Zhang Cheng knew very well that what the navy needed was not a super monster like Yamato that tried to block ten with one, but a large-scale warship that could be built on a large scale like dumplings. There is no point in forcibly using it when the technology is not reached.

The aircraft carrier that Zhang Cheng is now giving is all with mature technology, which is enough to satisfy the Navy. In a few years, when the technology matures, more excellent warships can be launched. Zhang Cheng has all the face.

This aircraft carrier, named the Lake class, has improved the performance of the warship as much as possible with a small displacement. For example, the armored flight deck. Traditional wooden decks are low-cost and easy to maintain. And once it is damaged on the battlefield, it can be quickly repaired as long as the perimeter is cleared and the combat effectiveness can be maintained. This sounds great, but in reality, once a bomb hits the battlefield, the wooden deck instantly becomes an accelerant, sending the entire aircraft carrier into the abyss. Zhang Cheng, who is familiar with history, naturally knows those tragedies, and the use of expensive but safer armored decks has become Zhang Cheng's first choice.

Improved hydraulic catapult. Although I really want to do steam catapult, I can't find this technology and can't achieve it. Zhang Cheng could only choose to improve the original hydraulic catapult. This auxiliary equipment allows the fighter to carry more ammunition and fuel, and allows the aircraft carrier to carry heavier fighters. This is extremely important in naval warfare.

Zhang Cheng, who is very familiar with the tragic aircraft carriers in World War II, put forward requirements for the designers to optimize the layout of hangars and ammunition depots, disperse the layout of power systems and oil pipelines, and adopt small compartment design for the waterline part of the design. Although it has not yet been able to satisfy Zhang Cheng, it is already the best standard that the technology of this era can achieve.

"How do you calculate your royalties? How about 7 silver dollars per ton? Although even the most preliminary public bidding has not started now, Vice Admiral Yunmo, as the head of the Navy's Armament Department, has already approved Zhang Cheng's design in his heart. Even royalties have been raised.

It's not that the designers of this era can't do it. Rather, it is impossible for them to walk on the right path as they have been proven to be like Zhang Cheng, who has come from modern time and space and has been exposed to countless knowledge in the era of information explosion.

"I'm also a soldier." Zhang Cheng narrowed his smiling eyes, took a sip of the teacup from the coffee table in front of him, and responded with a smile, "Forget the patent fee, I will give bonuses to the designers in the factory." Save some money for the navy and build more big warships. ”

"You kid." Lieutenant General Yunmo glared at Zhang Cheng with a smile, "Say, how much are you going to offer?" ”

"Hey." Zhang Cheng chuckled. took out a cigarette from the cigarette case and handed it to Lieutenant General Yunmo, "I don't want any odds, and the cost of a single ship is 120 million silver dollars." Wholesale, the upper four can be reduced to 110 million. After a pause, Zhang Cheng took out a lighter and lit a cigarette "Of course, this does not include carrier-based aircraft. ”

"It's expensive." Even the deep-pocketed navy smacked its tongue at such a huge cost. You know, that's hundreds of millions of silver dollars. If we add in the supporting carrier-based aircraft and personnel, as well as the consumption of weapons, ammunition, and fuel. The sky-high consumption made the corners of Lieutenant General Yunmo's eyes twitch.

"Can the Navy order more than four ships at once?" Zhang Cheng asked curiously.

Of course, it is impossible for the navy to build only aircraft carriers, and other warships also need to be constantly replenished. Moreover, at this moment, the big ships and giant artillery factions in the navy still occupy the active position, and the special budget allocation of the navy of Lord Shoufu will definitely build other warships.

"I'll tell you something. You can know it at your level, but you must be careful to keep it secret. Lieutenant General Yunmo did not answer Zhang Cheng's question. Instead, the topic changed to something else.

Zhang Cheng's eyes moved lightly, as if a flash of lightning suddenly flashed in his heart, and the thought that had just emerged in his heart opened his mouth, "It won't be the Japanese who started the super battleship, right?" ”

"Hiss~~~" Lieutenant General Yunmo straightened up, with a shocked and incredulous expression on his face, "That guy named Wang Yan under your command is so powerful?!" Can you get this kind of secret?! ”

No wonder Lieutenant General Yunmo was shocked. The fact that the Japanese received large loans and technical support from the United States and secretly started the construction of a super decisive battleship is absolutely a state secret. Zhang Cheng's Wang Yan is also a commercial spy in the eyes of the big guys, how did he know this kind of state secret?

"Really?" Zhang Cheng shook his head and sighed lightly. I didn't expect the legendary Yamato to really appear. It was the swan song of the battleship, the last martyrdom of the battleship era.

The strength of the big ships and giant guns in the Japanese Navy is definitely not weaker than that of the Great Ming, and in the current situation, it is still spending a lot of money to build this ultimate battleship. Zhang Cheng was shocked or shocked at the moment.

After a moment of silence, Zhang Cheng suddenly raised his head. With an expression of disbelief, he looked at Vice Admiral Yunmo: "The Navy doesn't want to start a new battleship to fight the Japanese, right?!" So you can't buy too many aircraft carriers? ”

"Hmm." Vice Admiral Yunmo nodded a little helplessly: "The intelligence of the Japanese to start the construction of super battleships has stimulated the navy and Lord Shousuke. The big ships and gunners in the navy took the opportunity to demand the construction of new battleships to fight the Japanese. Everyone knew they were taking advantage of the opportunity, but we didn't have a choice. Lord Shousuke has ordered the navy to maintain the dignity of the Ming Dynasty and seriously respond to the provocations of the Japanese. So, the planned procurement of aircraft carriers was curtailed. ”

"Hey!" Cut aircraft carriers and take the money to build battleships? This kind of thing is completely a traitor-like move in the eyes of modern time and space people, but in this era, it is a natural thing. Solid defense. Ferocious attack. Since the age of sails, battleships with large size and many guns have been rampant in the world's oceans for hundreds of years, and have undergone countless tests, and in the hearts of all people, they are definitely not comparable to aircraft carriers that have gradually emerged recently.

Why are there so many big-ship artilleryists? Because the big ships and huge guns have stood the test of time. Before it was proven in real combat. The future development of aircraft carriers has a long way to go.

"Already decided?" Zhang Cheng asked softly.

"It's decided." Lieutenant General Yunmo nodded in the affirmative.

"Then leave this task to me." Zhang Cheng stood up suddenly, and said with a solemn expression, "Jiangnan Shipyard is the largest shipyard in the world, and we have the best equipment and the best employees. And not only aircraft carriers. Leave the battleship to me, too. ”

"Then your design has to be good enough." Vice Admiral Yunmo slowly stood up and said softly, "This is not an aircraft carrier, everyone has no experience, and your good will naturally use yours." The requirements for a new type of battleship are high, can you design one? ”

Zhang Cheng slowly lowered his eyelids and breathed a sigh of relief. A moment later. Raising his eyelids to look at Vice Admiral Yunmo, the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, outlining a confident smile, "I'm just afraid of this kind of thing, so I've already prepared the design of a battleship!" ”

When it comes to battleships, all eyes are on Yamato. After all, the displacement of 70,000 tons and the legendary experience are too eye-catching. The Yamato was indeed the pinnacle of the Japanese in terms of battleships. Except for the fact that the armor had to be increased due to poor armor quality, which led to a sharp increase in displacement, the Yamato-class was otherwise perfect.

Zhang Cheng had no plans to build a battleship of this class. The blueprint of his choice was the strongest battleship in the true sense of the word, the Iowa class. This class of battleships is the strongest standard that the current scientific and technological capabilities of the Ming Dynasty can reach. In addition to some details and, very importantly, the radar, which is still in the secret development stage in the hands of Zhang Cheng. Da Ming's ability is completely capable of building super battleships of this class.

Of course. This is different from the design that limits the maximum width of the hull and elongates the hull in order to be able to pass through the Panama Canal. Zhang Cheng's battleship was only a reference to the Iowa class as a prototype blueprint, and it was actually improved.

All the weapons designed by Zhang Cheng in this era have one thing in common, that is, they are all within the mature technical architecture that can be possessed in this era. After all, the level of science and technology in this era is far from reaching the standards of modern time and space. Even if Zhang Cheng came up with ultra-high-tech materials and drawings such as NMD and CNMD, it would not be possible to produce them in this era.

Zhang Cheng also knows that although the future is the era of aircraft carriers, battleships can still play an unparalleled important role on the battlefield until radar and new all-weather material technology are perfected to practical use. For example, during night battles. Therefore, Zhang Cheng was not averse to the construction of new battleships. He was disgusted only by those who were obviously a handful of years. The old guys who can't keep up with all kinds of thoughts, but are always reluctant to leave the position below the ass.

Both the army and the navy. In the absence of large-scale wars all year round, a large number of high-level people who have climbed up by virtue of mixed qualifications will be born. These people are not welcomed in any army, but they have a great voice.

Pulling away, the topic turned back to the new battleships.

A few days later, Zhang Cheng handed over the battleship data design qualifications that had been prepared long ago to Vice Admiral Yunmo.

Unlike the Yamato, which may be armed with the largest caliber artillery in history. The caliber of the main guns of the new battleships designed by Zhang Cheng was maintained above 400 mm. Zhang Cheng's explanation for this is that what the Navy needs is not a monster that can block ten with one, and there is no point in increasing the displacement in order to increase the caliber of artillery. Because an increase in displacement leads to a decrease in other properties. The most significant thing is speed.

When really faced with a large number of firepower. Defense, speed, endurance (a very important indicator for the Ming Navy of the World Empire.) When there is a group of warships with outstanding comprehensive performance, any super battleship will lose its meaning of existence.

In many cases, the number even exceeds the performance. And. After entering the age of aviation, what can even Yamato do? Who is spared from the hundreds of aircraft that are attacking? Zhang Cheng believes that there is no need to devote too much energy and time to super battleships.

Of course, in order to win the Navy's order, the performance of the new warship must be very good.

Since it cannot be changed, it is necessary to firmly grasp the initiative in your own hands. (To be continued......)

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